Friday, September 12, 2008

I would like to introduce all of you to Maddox and ask for some major prayers. Tammi, Maddox's mom, is the younger sister of a girl I have worked with for many years. In the fall of 2006, Tammi was told while 6 months pregnant that her baby had HLHS, hypoplastic left heart syndrome and to terminate the pregnancy. She was told the baby would need an immediate heart transplant if born alive and most of the time hearts are not available so the baby would die shortly after birth. Tammi was very depressed and was giving up so I searched every end of the internet to find her some hope. I printed off everything I could to give to her hoping she could find someone to help her and the baby. The next morning she called Michigan University or maybe it was the University of Michigan anyway she left the next day to go see a specialist. They told her he had a version of the defect and they could help but because of insurance reasons they could not legally help her. If she didn't have insurance then they could have helped her. After months of searching for help she found it. In February 2007, Maddox was born. Immediately he was taken and hooked up to different machines and she was unable to hold him until he was 20 days old. I can't imagine her pain! Maddox went through many medical procedures and two or three open heart surgeries. They have been told countless times that he would not make it and to say their goodbyes. His heart stopped many times during different procedures but they always managed to bring him back. He has even been placed on life support and come out of it. Doctors and nurses have even screwed things up a time or two and he still survives! I am so proud of Tammi and Manny. They are young parents but they are strong! I can't believe how strong they are and Maddox is just a little soldier. I call him a walking, talking, ornery miracle!! He just makes it through everything. You would never know he is even sick because besides taking medicine daily and being small for his age he has no physical indications of his problems. All of his surgery scars are hidden by his shirt! They relocated to Texas to be closer to his cardiologist and now Tammi is 6 mos pregnant with her second child. She is so scared to go to her doctor appts for fear they will tell her the new baby also has the heart defect. His most recent major surgery was in the spring of 2008 and they were told he wouldn't need another surgery until he was three maybe four years old. Wednesday the call came that Maddox is in major heart failure and more than likely he will need a heart transplant. The entire family is devestated and all the while Maddox gets on the phone with his Aunt Brandi and says, "Heeey baaby! Wassup!". I think Tammi is understandably at her lowest. Honestly your 19month old ball of energy might need a transplant to survive but how do you pray and hope for a new heart knowing that someone else's baby will have to die for your child to live! I am just praying that some different medicine will help and it will not come to that point! No parent should have to go through this. They are young parents, only 21 and 22, but they are resilient and stronger than many parents I know but they need everyone's prayer because now more than ever before they understand how much the power of prayer has helped their little boy! Here is a copy of the bulletin she sent out:

Unfortunately, Maddox is back in the hospital! I took Maddox to the pediatrician on Tuesday to get him checked out. He had played with a little girl on Sunday who wound up in the hospital with pneumonia and strep throat. Maddox hadn't really been acting sick, although I had noticed he seemed to be having more difficulty breathing. Anyhow, when we were at the pediatrician Maddox's oxygen was only 63%. The pediatrician called for an ambulance and they transported us to the ER. Once in the ER they did several blood tests and a chest xray. One of the tests they ran was a BNP this is used to determine heart function. Maddox's BNP was 1140. 0-99 is normal. With the results from that test they then transported us by ambulance back to Houston. Last night they re-did the BNP and Maddox's levels had risen to over 3000. The doctors said his heart function is now considered severe. They are trying to switch medications to help improve his heart. However, it is up in the air as to whether that will be enough for him. If the meds do not work they will move us to ICU place him on a drug called milrinone and consider heart transplantation. All of this being said I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that there is no possible way god will take my sweet angel from me. So I am asking everyone to pray and keep him in your hearts. I will update everyone when I know more.

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We have been together for 11 1/2 yrs and married for almost 9 yrs. YES the halves count!! He is my best friend, partner and father to our boys! I can't imagine where I would be without him! We have both changed so much (for the better) since we found each other! He knows me better than anyone on this Earth and loves me regardless of my TWO flaws! lol

Elijah is our 10 yr. old kind hearted boy! He loves to play sports and he is our little genius! He is focused and determined in whatever he does. He is sooo loving and cares deeply about ALL things nature! He is inquisitive and can not seem to ask enough questions about history, wars, Indians, foreign travel and animals. He is so inquisitive you sometimes feel like you are being questioned by the FBI under a heat lamp!

Isaiah is our 7 yr old handful! He is ornery, cute but so loving that it makes him irrestible! He can be so ornery one minute then walk up and say the sweetest thing. He loves to play and he keeps us on our toes! He is his daddy's mini me in every way. So much so that sometimes it freaks me out. He has become quite the little athlete too and I think one day he will overpower his big brother who loves to push his emotional roller coaster buttons!!

Tez is my 16 yr old stepson who came to live with us in Dec 2007. He is fun loving, shy at first but respectful and friendly! He loves sports and video games. He has special needs but just needed lots of love and structure to reach his full potential.